


We're Okay

by soft_satan



Category: 9-1-1 (TV)
Genre: Angst, Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Angst with a Happy Ending, Blood, Blood and Injury, Blood and Violence, Burglary, Canon-Typical Violence, Christopher is not at home don't worry he's safe, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Established Relationship, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Home Invasion, Hurt Eddie Diaz, Hurt Evan "Buck" Buckley, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Whump, Whump Without Plot
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-29
Updated: 2020-08-29
Packaged: 2021-03-07 00:34:52
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,597
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26167984
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/soft_satan/pseuds/soft_satan
Summary: Peering into the kitchen, his breath caught in his throat at the carnage before him. Blood smeared across the tile floor like a morbid finger painting, pieces of ceramic and glass sparkling like glitter. The knife block was overturned across the counter, the biggest knife laying on the floor with its blade coated in blood. Eddie blinked back the pressure of tears behind his eyes, his fiancé’s name again on the tip of his tongue when something slammed into the back of his head.
Relationships: Evan "Buck" Buckley/Eddie Diaz (9-1-1 TV)
Comments: 14
Kudos: 416





	We're Okay

**Author's Note:**

> if so many authors can write porn without plot, i can write whump without plot.

Eddie sighed happily, his tense shoulders relaxing as he put his truck into park and shut off the engine. Beside him sat Buck’s jeep, still cooling in the night air. Eddie hated when one of them got off work earlier than the other, preferring to have his fiancé by his side on the job from beginning to end. He trusted his entire team completely, but there was nothing more comforting to Eddie than knowing that Buck was there to have his back. But the next best thing to having Buck by his side was coming home to him, especially after a call as physically taxing as the last one of his shift had been. And with Christopher staying the night with his aunt and cousins, Eddie had a long, lazy evening of lounging around in Buck’s loving arms to look forward to. A smile on his face and a boost of excitement in his tired bones, Eddie grabbed his bag and got out of the truck, hurrying up the walkway with an eagerness in his step.

It wasn’t until he reached the porch that he saw that the door was ajar, Buck’s keys still hanging from the lock. Ice cold fear rushed through his veins and sent his heart plummeting into his stomach. Something was very, very wrong. Trembling fingers reached out to graze against the glossy wood, nudging the door open slowly as he dropped his bag on the porch. Pulse thrumming throughout his body like the wings of a hummingbird, he stepped into the house and immediately felt his stomach twist. The table that sat beside the front door was in splinters across the floor, along with shards of the mirror that once hung above it. However, the thing that made Eddie’s heart skip was the blood spattered across the wreckage, and Buck's phone lying shattered among it.

“Buck?!” The way his voice broke on the name echoed in the eerily silent house, wood and glass crunching under his boots as he stepped further inside.

Peering into the kitchen, his breath caught in his throat at the carnage before him. Blood smeared across the tile floor like a morbid finger painting, pieces of ceramic and glass sparkling like glitter. The knife block was overturned across the counter, the biggest knife laying on the floor with its blade coated in blood. Eddie blinked back the pressure of tears behind his eyes, his fiancé’s name again on the tip of his tongue when something slammed into the back of his head.

He hit the floor hard enough to force the air from his lungs. He barely managed to suck in a breath before something connected with his ribs hard. Both the sound and feeling of his ribs snapping had bile rising in the back of his throat instantly, but he had no time to swallow it down before the next blow came and pain erupted from his temple and cheekbone. As stars danced across his blurred vision, a few more slams of a steel toe into his side stole the breath straight out of Eddie’s lungs before he could so much as cry out in agony. A rough voice suddenly hollered out something Eddie couldn’t quite make sense of, then boots scuffed and squeaked against the floor quickly. The loud slam of wood against a wall was the last thing he heard before the house fell deathly quiet once again.

The hum of the fridge echoed across the floor into Eddie’s ear as he lay on the cool tile, coughing raggedly in an attempt to force air into his lungs. His mind was a haze of pain and confusion, spinning as it desperately tried to make sense of what just happened. The only clear thought in Eddie’s mind was that he still didn’t know where Buck was, and that was all the motivation he needed to force himself to move. He pushed himself up onto his hands and knees, spitting out the blood that had collected in his mouth as bits of broken glass dug into his palms. Still struggling to take in a deep enough breath to satisfy his burning lungs, Eddie forced himself off the floor and onto trembling legs.

“Buck?” He could barely collect enough breath to speak with the stabbing pain in his chest, but he pushed himself to raise his voice despite it. “Evan!”

Slowly he staggered toward the living room, arm wrapped protectively around his throbbing ribs and his free hand pulling his phone from his pocket. The living room was as much of a wreck as the kitchen and entryway, but lacking any signs of blood. Still, he checked behind and under every piece of furniture in the room, heart pounding harder and faster with every moment he spent not knowing where Buck was or if he was alright.

If he was alive.

_ “911, where is your emergency?” _

Eddie shook the very notion out of his mind and continued his search, rattling out the address.

_ “Do you need police, fire, or ambulance?” _

“My house was broken into and I was attacked when I got here," Eddie explained, struggling to catch his breath as he moved through the living room. "My fiancé was home alone, but I can’t find him.”

_ “Sir, are the intruders still there?” _

“No. No, they left,” Eddie shook his head, regretting it instantly as it made the room sway.

_ “I have units on the way. What is your na--” _

Eddie didn’t let the operator finish asking their question before he hung up, satisfied that help was coming but still gripped with panic. His head was pounding to the rhythm of his fluttering heart, chest aching with every breath, but he kept moving toward the hall. A few drops of blood on the hardwood just outside of the hall closet caught his eye, and suddenly all of his pain was silenced by a rush of fear-induced adrenaline. He barely thought to flip on the hall light in his haste to reach the door. His heart pounded in his fingertips as he fumbled with the handle, the blood on his palms making his grip slick. Throwing open the door, a sob swelled in the back of his throat but Eddie swallowed it down. The closet was empty save for the coats on hangers and boxes of holiday decorations on the floor. Slamming it shut, he hurried down the hall, pushing open the bathroom door on his way to Christopher’s room. His desperation grew more and more with every empty but ransacked room he checked until the only one left was the room he shared with Buck. He nudged the open door wider and stepped in, fear of what he might find gripping him like claws. The tears he’d held back before were falling freely now, his throat threatening to close on him in an attempt to hold down the sob that was bubbling up in his chest. The lamp on his own side of the bed was on its side, picture frames lying face down or shattered on the floor. Righting the lamp he turned it on, casting a warm glow across the room. A quick glance under the bed told him immediately that Buck was not in the room, and the panic that had been building in the pit of his stomach since he first saw the open front door grew enough to force a sob from his lips.

His body was aching as he sat on the edge of the bed, but the stabbing pain in his heart was worse than any bruise or broken bone. Had the men taken Buck? Had he gotten away? Though the amount of blood smeared throughout the entrance and kitchen was not enough to be fatal, there was no way to know just how badly he was injured or how much blood he had lost since the attack. If he had somehow gotten away, where was he? Was he safe? Was he getting help? Eddie dropped his face into his hands as his mind spiraled through every possible scenario.

A muffled whimper had Eddie’s head shooting up in the blink of an eye. Biting his lip to keep himself quiet, he strained his ears listening for a long, painfully quiet moment. He was just beginning to believe that he’d imagined it when he heard a sniffle followed by another whimper. The familiar sound sent Eddie’s heart into a frenzy and he was up in a flash, crossing the room in two long strides and throwing open the closet door. Wide eyes met his, glistening with a mix of terror and rage. Buck was huddled against the back wall of the walk-in closet, his entire body trembling. Tears had made tracks down flushed cheeks, sliding over the black tape that had been wrapped around his head to cover his mouth. What looked to be several layers of tape held his wrists to his bound ankles in a sort of front hogtie that forced him into a hunched position. But the most horrific thing that caught Eddie’s eye was the streaks and smudges of drying blood up and down Buck’s arms and face. The instant that recognition shone in his bright eyes another whimper squeaked out of his throat, all signs of anger replaced by sheer relief.

"Oh my god, Buck!" Eddie choked, turning on the light and dropping to his knees in front of Buck. He reached for the tape on his face first, picking at the edge until he was able to grip it and start to carefully peel it away. "Hang on. I've got you."

Buck gasped in an eager breath as soon as his mouth was uncovered. Eyes clouded with pain and concern swept over Eddie quickly, landing on the blood that Eddie could feel drying on his chin. “Are you okay?”

“I’m fine,” Eddie dismissed, carefully pulling the tape off of Buck’s hair. "Where are you hurt?"

Buck hissed in pain as the adhesive tugged on his hair. “I--I’m not really sure...”

“I’ll check you over as soon as I get you free.” Pulling his Swiss Army knife from his pocket, Eddie turned his attention to the tape binding Buck’s limbs. “Hold still.”

So focused on cutting the layers of tape and not Buck’s already bruising skin, Eddie didn’t catch the tears welling in his fiancé's eyes. When the blond spoke, his shaking voice was barely above a whisper. “I was so scared.”

With one last swipe of the knife the tape was sliced apart, and Eddie slowly pulled it off Buck’s skin with tenderness and care. He met Buck’s eyes, fingers ghosting over his wrists with a comforting touch to massage some blood flow back into his hands. “I’m here, Buck. You’re safe.”

“Not for me,” Buck shook his head, bottom lip trembling for a beat before his entire face screwed up in a look of pain. Grabbing Eddie’s wrist, Buck gripped him tightly, as if trying to anchor them both to each other. “I was afraid they were going to kill you when you got home. I heard you call out to me, but then everything went quiet. I thought…”

Eddie ran a delicate finger over the skin right next to the nasty gash along Buck’s hairline, trailing down his cheek beside the line of dried blood. “I’m fine, I promise. I’m just happy you’re okay.”

“Define “okay” for me,” Buck chuckled, but it didn't reach his eyes. “I’m pretty sure I have a few boot prints on my ribs, and my back kind of hurts.”

“Well, we match,” Eddie huffed with a sad attempt at a smile. “Come on, let me check you over.”

Buck slowly started to uncurl himself from his position, wincing in pain as he moved. With a trained eye Eddie glanced over his fiancé’s body quickly, noting every bruise, scrape, and cut that marred his skin. He was shivering badly, but Eddie knew that the come down from a rush of adrenaline had that effect on Buck. A long gash ran down the outside of his forearm, a defensive wound most likely caused by the knife he had seen on the kitchen floor. Tugging a shirt right off the hanger, he pressed the fabric into the cut and held it there tight, pulling a hiss of pain from Buck’s pale lips. Eddie shot him an apologetic look as he continued to inspect his injuries, carefully turning Buck’s arms over. He could plainly see tiny shards of glass still shining in a few of the cuts along Buck’s forearms, but none of them seemed to still be bleeding, and for that Eddie was grateful. It wasn’t until Buck leaned back some that Eddie saw the splotch on the side of Buck’s LAFD t-shirt that was suspiciously darker than the navy blue fabric.

His brow furrowed immediately, a spike of fear stabbing directly into Eddie’s heart. “You’re bleeding…”

“No shit,” Buck scoffed, an exhausted smile tugging at his lips.

“No, I mean-- lean forward,” Eddie instructed, guiding Buck to scoot away from the wall and turn his back toward him.

The first thing that caught Eddie’s attention was the stark red staining the white wall and the tan carpet, right where Buck had been sitting. Next was the back of Buck’s shirt, which was soaked in blood and split open, revealing a deep gash that was still steadily bleeding. A curse escaped Eddie's lips as he grabbed another shirt from above them, balling it up and pressing it into the wound.

Buck arched his back away from the pressure with a hiss of pain, squeezing his eyes shut.

“You’re going to need stitches,” Eddie sighed, relief running through him when he heard the sirens coming down their street. “Help’s on the way. Just try to stay awake, okay?”

“Easier said… than done.” Buck struggled to catch his breath, slowly blinking his eyes open just enough to look at Eddie. "M'so tired."

"I know you're tired, Buck, but you've gotta keep your eyes open. You've lost a lot of blood."

Buck nodded his head slightly, blinking slowly. He opened his mouth to say something else, but whatever he was going to say was lost when Buck suddenly slumped over, going completely limp against Eddie’s chest. Panic shot through Eddie’s chest like electricity, but he kept a firm hold on the bleeding wounds.

“Buck? Evan!" Eddie shook him by the arm he was gripping, tears springing to his eyes when Buck didn't respond. “Come on, baby, stay with me!”

“LAPD!”

When Eddie heard the voice call out, his heart skipped in his burning chest as he desperately called back. “In here! I need medics!”

Athena appeared in the doorway of the closet a moment later, her hard, serious features dropping into a look of horror when she saw them. She was barking orders into her radio as she hurried back to the bedroom door, but Eddie wasn’t paying attention to anything but the rise and fall of Buck’s back, the fact that the man he loved was still breathing the only comfort he had to hold onto. Suddenly Hen’s voice cut through to him, and Eddie was surprised to find her kneeling next to him when he turned toward the sound. Her eyes were kind but serious, bringing Eddie out of his stupor enough to notice Chim and Bobby standing right behind her.

“Eddie, we need to get him out of here so we can take care of him,” Hen encouraged patiently, a note of fear in her steady voice.

Eddie nodded in understanding, the comfort and security that having their friends there brought him immeasurable. Hen moved to kneel behind Buck, carefully helping Eddie move his weight from his own chest to hers. He kept a grip on Buck’s wounds until Hen had taken over applying pressure. Bobby was beside him in an instant, helping Eddie to stand. His legs protested, cramped and sore from being folded underneath him for so long, but Bobby kept him standing with a firm grasp on his arm. As soon as they had moved out of the way, Chim swooped in past them with a back board to help Hen with their fallen friend. Bobby was asking him something as he guided him to sit on the edge of the bed, but all Eddie could focus on was Buck being carried out of the closet on the back board and laid out on their bedroom floor.

“He’s got a deep laceration on his back, about five inches long, and another one on the back of his arm,” Eddie supplied, walking the line between trained medic and terrified partner. “Blunt force trauma to the head, possible concussion. Complained of pain in his ribs. He’s been unconscious for not even five minutes. He said he was tired and then he just… passed out…”

“Hey.” Bobby stepped into his line of sight, a comforting hand on the back of Eddie’s neck grounding him and commanding his attention. “He’s going to be okay.”

Nodding in understanding, Eddie couldn’t help but to peek around Bobby to watch helplessly as Chim and Hen examined Buck. It wasn’t until the steady beeping of the EKG filled the room that Eddie finally felt himself relax.

…

The beeping was the first thing to cut through the haze of nothingness around him. It wasn’t loud, but it was incessant enough to force his mind into awareness. Vaguely he wondered how and why the beep seemed to be in time with the thump in his chest and fingertips, but he started to fade back into blissful oblivion before he could think too much about it. But just before he sank back into sleep, a soft sigh caught his attention. He knew that sigh, so well that it instantly triggered an image in his mind. Smoky quartz eyes, chin resting on his hand as he stared back at him with a dreamy sigh. The image filled his chest with a warm burst of love.

Eddie.

His eyes shot open, a jolt of terror slamming into the dead center of his chest so hard it nearly knocked the wind out of him. Buck coughed to kickstart his lungs into functioning properly as images flashed through his mind of Eddie’s face, blood on his chin and fear in his eyes.

Eddie was hurt.

“Buck?”

He couldn’t take in a deep enough breath to satisfy his lungs, his ribs screaming at him to calm down even as his panic grew.

“Buck!”

A searing pain in his back put a stop to his attempt to sit up, and more images flashed through his mind. Broken glass, sharp knives, a well landed fist or boot in between. A hand on his shoulder pressed him into the bed with just enough force to hold him there, but the feeling of being held down only added to his increasing panic.

“Evan!”

The voice finally cut through the haze of pain and terror, snapping Buck back into the present moment like a rubber band. He went completely still, suddenly staring into the same brown eyes he had imagined just seconds before. The fear and concern still shone within them as brightly as they had in his memories. His jaw and cheekbone were covered in purple splotches, an angry red cut marred his perfect lip. But he was there, alive.

“Eddie…” Buck’s breath caught in his throat as Eddie’s fingertips tenderly grazed over his jaw. He reached up a clumsy hand to cover Eddie’s where it rested on his cheek.

Eddie smiled lovingly, lacing their fingers together and squeezing, keeping his other hand securely on Buck’s shoulder. “You’re okay.”

“Are you?”

A laugh escaped Eddie in a soft huff. “Yeah, Buck. I’m okay, too. I’m not the one who passed out from blood loss.”

Buck nodded in understanding, finally relaxing against the pillow as he took as deep of a breath as he could without causing himself intense pain. His heart was still racing in his battered chest, but Eddie’s hand in his was all he needed to start to get his anxiety under control. “So… how bad? And when can we go home?”

“We’ve got a few broken ribs each, a matching set of concussions, and you’ve got over a hundred stitches total, but we’re both okay. They said you could probably leave in a couple hours, after your transfusion is done.” Eddie explained, sitting down on the edge of the bed and bringing their entwined hands to his chest. “As for going home, Abuela is going to be hosting us for at least a few days, seeing as our house is a literal crime scene.”

Flashes of pain and fear flickered through his mind along with glimpses of men dressed in black. The echo of shattering glass rang in his ears. But then Eddie was there, holding onto his arm and pressing something into his back painfully, and everything had faded away.

“Hey, come back to me,” Eddie called him softly, pulling Buck out of his thoughts. He moved his hand from Buck’s shoulder to the other side of his face, stroking his thumb over his skin tenderly. “We’re both okay.”

Buck nodded, forcing himself to breathe more slowly. “We’re okay.”

Eddie smiled, leaning in to press a kiss to Buck’s forehead. Buck closed his eyes to savor the feeling of Eddie's lips on his skin, a grin tugging at his own. As Eddie pulled away he met his eyes once again, filling Buck with warmth and calmness, just as he always did.

They were okay.


End file.
